The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1887-04-16
Commercial Men Of San Fran.
cisco in a Quandary
OVER THE NEW COMMERCE LAW
with Disorder and aIuoh Loss
appeal to the Commission.
The Coast Appe ais.

ing telegram has been received by
the Interstate commissioner from San
Francisco: ''All productive and
monetary relations of this coast are
threatened with disorder and much
loss, and nothing but quick and wise
action on your part can save our coast
from the tremendous losses sure to fol-
low the illiberal or narrow interpreta-
ton of the fourth section of the inter
state bill. We ask the suspension of
the long haul clause, temporarily, at
least, until our position eau be placed
before your honorable body"
This bears the signatures of eight
principal banking institutions of San
4 Francisco:
1.-The rigid enforcement of the fourth
clause of the Interstate commerce bill
will work irreparable ruin to
our vineyards, fruit and salmon inter
ests, will direct the shipment of teas
from China and Japan to the Suez
Canal route, and coffees of Central
America to Europe: blight and destroy
f,the Industries of this coast which have
involved lifetime of labor and saving
TO build. That which was intended by
Congress as boon to the people will
prove an irreparable calamity 10 the
Pacific slope, unless early relief be
granted. We earnestly crave a prompt
and liberal Interpretation of the fourth
section of the bill, protecting Us from
impending disaster otherwise inevi-
table"
This was signed by W. T. Coleman &
Co, and others. Resolutions to the
same general effect from wool growers
on the Coast were also received.
We do not believe that it was-the in
| tention of Congress, in passing this law,
| TO so seriously cripple industry After
enacing from time to time suitable
tariff protection, which is offset by
heavy freight charges, which we are
called upon to pay under the operations
| of the act, and we cannot believe, if our
government wishes to force the trans
portation of our wool through a foreign
country to secure lower rates of trans
portation than our railroads are al
ready and willing to give US satisfac-
tory rates il only allowed to dc so. 1t is
clearly to the interest of our people that
the labor and capital of our country
should get the benefit of the money
which we would have to pay to foreign
corporations for freight and charges,
which would amount to very large
sum. If we are unable to secure COM
peting rates from our own railroads our
only relief is the suspension of section
four as far as the same applies to wool
and pelUs, and we earnestly and urgently |
petition your honorble body for its inn |
mediate suspension to enable US to |
market our woods at once which are |
rapidly accommodating.
This is signed by the chairman and |
members of the committe.
During the recess between the morn
ing and afternoon sessions the COM |
mission changed its quarters from the |
rooms of the Geological Survey to its
permanent situation in the same build
ing.
The published statement that the
commission has appointed secretary |
is pronounced incorrect, as is also that
to the effect that decision was reached
yesterday with respect to excursion4
rates. No session was held yesterday,
and no decision upon that subject has
been made.
A large number of petitions have
been received from the railroad people,
asking the suspension of the law as ap-
piled 10 the amusement profession. and
such Interpretation of the law as will
permit railroads to grant reduced rates
as heretofore.
The commission has replied that it
cannot presume to determine what the
policy of the railroads shall be in this
regard. This is substantially declina-
ton to make ruling upon the subject
in advance of an actual complaint al
leging an infraction of the law in some
regard. A long communication has
been received from the executive COM
mittee of the Chicago Freight Bureau,
an association composed of merchants,
manufacturers and the Board of Trade
of Chicago, protesting against a sus-
pension of the long and short haul
feature, especially as affecting the ter !
ritory north of Ohio, and east Of the {
Mississippi River, excepting on the Pa
ci6c Coast traffic, and that condition I
ally. the law without such suspension {
is believed by the association to be not
only best for the country at large {
but Tor the future successful operation /
of the law in the territory named. A
suspension of the provision t
with regard to the south was, in the
judgment of the association, The only Y
practical solution of the difficulty pre- [
sented, but it views with alarm the [
effect that the decision must have upon I
the carriers of this section of the coun- I
try m conveying perhaps the tacit, al
though unwarI anted, belief that similar
relief will be granted in other sections {
of the country, where uncontrolled
water competition can be cited as the
occasion for such relief. The communi- K
cation continues: "Supposings for in &
stance, the roads running from Chi {
csgo to Buffalo were to ask relief )
on traffic between those points,
named On account of lake competition; {
the carrier would cite you to the fact
that the lakes afford rival highway; s
that the government register of arri-
walls and departures of vessels from {
Chicago exceeded that OF any other '
port in the United States; that the &
rates for water transportation between E
the points named was at the minimum, (
as compared with any other interior
water navigation; and supposlng, for
illustration, your honorable board
grant carriers request, and suspend the n
long and short haul provision. Imme-
diately upon granting such petlson, the